Friday, 18 June 2010

They came, they growled, they conquered...(or I think they rather went back to sleep). Or at least that’s how tigers behaved in the zoos. Tigers aren’t really just an entertainment in the behind the cages. They mean a lot more to the nation.

They inspired the famous Tiger striped trousers that heroines of the nineties have worn with élan, yellow trousers clinging to areas that today’s lingo will categorise as plus size while they were at their famous jhatkas and the matkas. Paired with yellow shirt and high boots, they completed the picture of an odd amalgamation of western casual culture and a typical sense of Over The Top (OTT) tendencies in tinsel town fashion. Hero in red jacket, wavy hair and macho sun-glasses would complete the picture. Without tigers, most cars in India would have had a vacant look. I mean, most people familiar with Indian roads is bound to see a car that ha a rather ferocious Big Cat perched at its rear, sitting in a regally formidable position. They usually have a scowl on their faces instead of a look of regal growls that are so famous in the back of Lorries and public buses. Their ferocious growling expression is usually accompanied by the word ‘danger’ in various innovative spellings and a couple of flags of the nation proudly proclaiming how great India is.

These beasts are so revered in our country that anything or anyone that does the country proud in a rather ferocious don’t-mess-with-me kind of a way gets the tiger tag. And thus Sharmila Tagore has a husband whom the nation fondly calls Tiger. Talking of the celebrity world, to many people, Rahul Roy is famous as the actor who metamorphosed into a tiger by night, prowling here and there (for some reason that I forgot.). Amitabh Bachchan’s character in the movie Hum was called Tiger. However tacky the name sounded, it kind of suited his character of macho guy working for local goonda and yet being the saviour of his brothers and finally the movie, beat up all the baddies at one go. I also wonder how Shehnaz Hussain would have survived for so long if she didn’t try to imitate the looks of a tiger, with all the lion kind of a head thrown in to add more glamour if that was ever possible. She would have shrivelled to something not so blatantly eye- catching, if you know what I mean. But now every person who has seen her once will probably remember her for the rest of his life, even if he has no clue about her products.

SO, to think of it, tigers are associated with the country more deeply than scientific datas will ever be able to prove. It is a different issue that it has inspired several of the nation’s fashion faux pas of yesteryears. But the fact remains that it is intertwined with the nation’s life. Simply put, saving them would do good, because their loss shall be deeply felt by many.

@lost: context: random. or may be after seeing a pic of shehnaz husain. ;) seriously. and in any case, i don't suppose i need to write in context to something or the other each time i post on my blog :):P how are you? you've vanished.

@caveman: the wild things should be more close to your heart, considering your caveman spirit. :D if you think you've missed out on the 80s and 90s movies of bollywood, you can check out some of the pot boilers of bengali cinema. they are thoroughly re-living those days. :D